Going for Gold

In light of the upcoming Winter Olympics - it seems appropriate to mention my recent Gold medal accomplishment.  As many of you know, we began using Plexus products last winter.  We have really been praying that God would bless our Plexus business as He sees fit and bring people to our group.  December and January proved to be awesome months with many new customers trying the products and several new team members building a business.   All of those things combined helped us reach the level of Gold.  This means a small increase in our monthly Plexus income - just in time for our Debt Reduction Adventure.  I love how God always provides.  Go Gold!  And a Huge Thank You to everyone on our Plexus team. 

A New Way of Doing Things in 2014

Here I sit in January.  In a place we didn't want to be.  A place we said we wouldn't go.  Again.  A difficult place. Uneasy, uncertain.  Helpless.  Not really.  We are in a place called Debt.  And we are leaving soon.  We may reside here for a while, a year, two - that's where the uncertainty comes into play.  But, we are grateful that we have options.  We are blessed with jobs that equal income.  With kids who understand.  With HOPE. 


We sat down last night and came up with an attack plan.  We believe that we can do this.  I want to share our journey with you - to encourage and sympathize.  I know we don't live here alone.  I talked to someone today who has $7 in their bank account.  I feel ya.  Something needs to change.  Here, I will share our story of hope, of grace, of change, of freedom from debt.  The story may be long or short - I cannot predict.  It may have moments of courage and moments of defeat.  It will be a journey with an end in sight. 


We want to live free.  To give.  To go.  To get behind others who need help.  Today we started packing our bags - the journey begins. 

Seeds Family Worship GiveAway

I'm so excited to share this with you!  The Seeds Family Worship group has done an amazing thing - with each CD you purchase - they give you an extra one to share.  At the recent TTD Conference - we bought their most recently released CD - The Character of God.  Each verse is set to upbeat music and is the perfect way to Hide God's Word in your Heart!

Leave you name in the comment section of the blog or on the Facebook link -

and on Sunday we will choose a Winner for the extra CD!!! 

Share our blog with your friends on FB - and you will have your name entered twice! 

Have a great Thursday :-)

Sharing....

I had the privilege of meeting this Blogger mom at the TTD conference last week.  She is the adorable mom to 15 kiddos - 12 of them adopted!   (You may have seen her on Oprah a few years ago!)  She is so normal and regular - I love that.  As I walk this journey and meet families who have done extraordinary things - it is so reassuring and inspiring to realize how normal they are.  They aren't extraordinary - they have just allowed a Really Awesome God to do extraordinary things through them and with them.  I loved Sonya's post today.  Made me cry.  Jay teared up to.  I'm amazed at how God is even in control of the mail - the small blessing of $20 would come on the same day they read about the 20 pounds from George Mueller.  Good stuff.  Enjoy!

http://respondinginfaith.com/2013/05/29/a-view-from-the-lens-of-god/

New Catechism App

This past weekend at the Teach Them Diligently - we were so blessed to sit in on the Seeds Family Worship session.  Years ago, someone told us about Seeds and it transformed the way our kids have been able to memorize scripture.  These awesomely talented folks from Nashville have taken pure Scripture and set it to catchy tunes - perfect little ditties that stick with you through the day and help hide the Word in your heart.

They did a session on Family Worship and highly recommended a few resources.  I thought I would share since many of our readers enjoy a little time in the Word as a family.  Check them out!

1.  New City Catechism - they have a free PDF of their updated Catechism questions and a great new App for your iPad.  How cool is that!

2.  Books by Sally Michael - I went to the Exhibit Hall to look for these books sold through Grace & Truth and loved them.  I snatched up 2 to use with our kidds this year - God's Promises and God's Names.  Can't wait to get started!

Just so you know - I loved the Seeds people so much that I texted them after I got home and invited them over for dinner.  I really hope they come!! 

Are you scared?

As we approach the time for Madison to leave for Peru, concerned parents commonly ask us if we are scared?  My honest answer is no.  It really doesn't cross my mind to be scared.  Sure, there are concerns - "Will she make her connecting flight?", "Will she get all her luggage?", "Will she feel ok?", "Will she make friends?", "Will she be homesick?", etc.   ....but....I'm not scared.

We began praying years ago for her to have an obedient heart, for her to bring glory to God, and for her to seek Him and follow Him.  We believe the Lord gave her this calling for missions when she was about 14 years old.  When she was 12, we were in the process of talking to a sending organization about our whole family going to West Africa for an extended period of time and she was HIGHLY oppossed.  Yet, over the next 2 years, God did an incredible work in her heart.  He opened the doors of China to her and we suspect that one day she will return there to reach the people that stole her heart.  She also began telling us how badly she wanted to go on a mission trip.  We said that at age 16 - she could go. 

Almost the very day that she turned 16, she was determined to find a way to Peru. She knew about a group called Never the Same that was going to South America - and there was no way she was going to miss this trip!  She set out to save money, raise money, work for money, ask for money, beg for money - to pay for the $3000 trip - and the Lord poured it out.  She has been blessed abundantly with money to spare to buy Spanish Bibles (https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/cMTG6) to take with her.  She has seen people give sacrificially and this has left a lasting impression on her.  I'm so thankful she has seen the ourpouring of the Lord's abundance at such a young, tender age.  I hope she never forgets that it all belongs to Him and that He will see His plans through.  I remember reading George Mueller 's story with her many years ago and being amazed at the Lord's provision.   I'm so glad that she has now lived that to a tiny degree herself.  Just this weekend at the Teach Them Diligently conference in Nashville, I was talking to Jeannie Fulbright (Apologia) about her kids and my kids and I shared about Madison's trip.  Afterwards, a lady sitting near us engaged me in conversation as I walked by.  She asked if I was scared to send her.  No, I said.  We talked a little more and she shared some things about her life.  Then, she pulled out her checkbook and wrote Madison a check for $100.  She said she had been blessed financially and wanted to help buy more Spanish Bibles.  I graciously thanked her and accepted the donation.  I was so excited to tell Madison and the other kids about this moment.

This "God" moment.

I want them to see how He provides, to be gracious recievers, and cheerful givers. 

I want their eyes opened to the needs of this world.

There are many......Lord, help us to be useful.  Help us be your hands and feet.  Help us cloth the naked, feed the hungry, and hold tight to the helpless.  Lord, don't let our lives be wasted.

100 Families

I originally posted this on another Blog about 3 years ago.  I was recently reminded again of the urgency I feel to help advocate and rescue orphans.  The need is desperate.  The time is now and forever - until there are no more.....I have a vision that if 100 Families joined together.....

Here is the difference 100 Families could make:

• If 100 families had a fundraiser in their community, and each family brought in $100 and donated that to an adoption fund or adopting family - that would be a total of $10,000
• If 100 families just decided to give $100 a year to adoption causes - that would be $10,000
• If 100 families donated $10/month to an adoption fund - that would add up to $12,000
• If 100 families collected just $.50/day in spare change and donated the money - that would total $18,250
• If 100 families hosted fundraisers to raise adoption awareness in their churches and communities and each event raised $1000 - the amount raised would be $100,000 (Wow!)
• If 100 families told 100 people about the blessing of adoption - 10,000 people would be educated on adoption and the needs of these children
• If those 10,000 people went forth and told 100 people each - then 1 MILLION people's eyes would be open to the needs of the over 147 Million orphans in our world today.
  

One Hundred families can make a huge impact in the lives of desperate children around the world!